# CVE-2026-23017: idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load

> A null pointer dereference in the idpf driver during initialization failure causes a kernel crash, leading to denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-23017, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23017, GHSA-r8hg-wq4j-qxmg, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-23017, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-23017, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23017

## What is CVE-2026-23017?

CVE-2026-23017 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 31 Jan 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

idpf: fix error handling in the init_task on load

If the init_task fails during a driver load, we end up without vports and
netdevs, effectively failing the entire process. In that state a
subsequent reset will result in a crash as the service task attempts to
access uninitialized resources. Following trace is from an error in the
init_task where the CREATE_VPORT (op 501) is rejected by the FW:

[40922.763136] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Device HW Reset initiated
[40924.449797] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Transaction failed (op 501)
[40958.148190] idpf 0000:83:00.0: HW reset detected
[40958.161202] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000a8
...
[40958.168094] Workqueue: idpf-0000:83:00.0-vc_event idpf_vc_event_task [idpf]
[40958.168865] RIP: 0010:idpf_vc_event_task+0x9b/0x350 [idpf]
...
[40958.177932] Call Trace:
[40958.178491]  <TASK>
[40958.179040]  process_one_work+0x226/0x6d0
[40958.179609]  worker_thread+0x19e/0x340
[40958.180158]  ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10
[40958.180702]  kthread+0x10f/0x250
[40958.181238]  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[40958.181774]  ret_from_fork+0x251/0x2b0
[40958.182307]  ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
[40958.182834]  ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
[40958.183370]  </TASK>

Fix the error handling in the init_task to make sure the service and
mailbox tasks are disabled if the error happens during load. These are
started in idpf_vc_core_init(), which spawns the init_task and has no way
of knowing if it failed. If the error happens on reset, following
successful driver load, the tasks can still run, as that will allow the
netdevs to attempt recovery through another reset. Stop the PTP callbacks
either way as those will be restarted by the call to idpf_vc_core_init()
during a successful reset.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23017?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23017?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-23017 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23017 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23017 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23017 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 31 Jan 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23017 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23017/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23017/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23017
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23017
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23017

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23017/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.